Institute of Surveyors to support galamsey fight

Deputy Director at Joeamah Geomatics Consult Ltd and Chairman of the Land Surveying Division of the GhIS..Photo credit John Amaglo’s Facebook page

The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) says it will effectively collaborate with the government to sustain the fight against illegal mining.

The Chairman of the Land Surveying Division of the GhIS, Mr John K. Amaglo, said the GhIS had drones that could capture and expose galamsey operations across the country.Besides, he said, the GhIS had the appropriate technology that could help local communities to reclaim the lands destroyed through galamsey operations.

Mr Amaglo was speaking at a press conference in Accra last Monday where he presented the recommendations of a communique adopted at the end of a two-day surveyors’ seminar in Accra.

Galamsey fight

Mr Amaglo lauded the government for its efforts to clamp down on galamsey in the country.

“There should be a nexus between the government and professional surveyors in the fight against galamsey in order to ensure sustainability,” he said.

Mr Amaglo suggested that every district should have professional surveyors to assist the local communities to demarcate their lands earmarked as mining concessions.

“This will help communities appreciate their lands that have been given out as concessions,” he stated.

Surveyors’ involvement

Mr Amaglo asked the government to involve land surveyors in the major decision-making processes on environmental and infrastructural development and management.

“The government should collaborate with surveyors to develop mechanisms for monitoring the environment,” he said.

Mr Amaglo appealed to the government to reduce the duty on imported survey equipment.

He again called for investment in the use of modern technology in the production of maps and particularly requested that the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission be resourced to produce large-scale maps of the entire country.

Mr Amaglo called for a collaborative effort to eliminate the activities of quack surveyors.

He said land surveyors would lead the campaign to educate the public on the need to conserve the environment.

The President of the GhIS, Mr Edwin Addo-Tawiah, called for the facilitation of land registration processes to prevent the haphazard springing up of buildings across the country.